Depressed man in the dark may have a drinking problem.What should you do if you suspect your loved one has a drinking problem? Due to the prevalence of alcohol consumption in American society, it can be hard to identify when someone has an actual addiction to alcohol. Even excess drinking and risky alcohol-related behaviors may often be brushed off. However, some common signs exist to identify those struggling with alcohol abuse.

Signs Of A Drinking Problem

The following signs may indicate that your loved one has a drinking problem:

  • High alcohol tolerance
  • Hiding alcohol in unusual places
  • Drinking before and after social drinking events
  • Frequent and inexplicable injuries
  • Using vodka to disguise drinking

Just like with many other addictive substances, alcohol eventually produces a tolerance in someone who has been drinking a lot for a long time. Functional tolerance describes those who can have a high blood alcohol level but display very few signs of impairment. Try noticing if your loved one can consume three drinks in an hour and not display any signs of intoxication.

Hiding and lying about alcohol consumption is another common sign. If you start finding alcohol bottles in strange places like in the bathroom or under the person’s bed or even in their car, you might be looking at a problem drinker.

A person addicted to alcohol may be compelled to drink privately before or after a social drinking situation. This may be due to their higher alcohol tolerance or internalized shame over their drinking.

Mysterious injuries may point to frequent blackouts or memory loss during a drinking session. Not only do one in three patients admitted for trauma have alcohol in their system, but alcohol also compromises the immune system, leading to easier illness.

Another common tactic by those who abuse alcohol is adding vodka to other substances. Vodka has very little taste and no color, so it’s easy to add to coffee, soda or juice.

Diagnosing A Drinking Problem

Many times a drinking problem hides under the mask of high-functioning alcoholism. Even if you witness your loved one’s problematic behavior, they may have a range of excuses and denials for their problem. This makes it an uphill battle to actively confront someone with a high-functioning alcohol problem.

It’s important to only confront someone with an alcohol problem when they are not under the influence. People with an alcohol problem often get angry when accused of drinking too much. In most addiction timelines, the high-functioning person eventually begins to lose control of their situation. They may start experiencing relationship problems, work problems, or legal and financial problems. They may begin to get drunk when they didn’t intend to or start engaging in increasingly risky behavior while drunk.

These serve as important cues for eventually confronting your loved one about their problem. When they see their lives falling apart around them they may be motivated to finally seek professional help.

Treatment For A Drinking Problem

Get treatment for a drinking problem at Beaches Recovery in Jacksonville, Florida. Addiction often comes with underlying issues that the addicted person tries to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs. Beaches can help identify those issues and address them as well as the physical dependence on the substance. Treatments for alcohol addiction at Beaches Recovery may include the following:

Beaches Recovery also offers support to families and loved ones of those struggling with addiction. Therapists have special training in family therapy to help support families and restore damaged relationships. Even though families can be greatly supportive of those struggling with addiction, they may also inadvertently enable their addiction through excusing and taking over responsibility. Beaches can help families and loved ones understand how addiction works and how to support a loved one without enabling.

If you or your loved one is losing control due to an addiction to alcohol, then Beaches Recovery can help you find the path to recovery. Give us a call today at 866.605.0532 to take your life back from the trap of addiction.